Robey Moses was arrested in Newberry, S.C., and is being charged with two counts of robbery by force and aggravated assault after Richmond County authorities said he and another suspect, Kevin D. Richardson, attacked and robbed two people sitting on a bench near the former Fort Discovery on riverwalk.

Moses is also suspected in an assault on Broad Street the night before, authorities said Friday.

Kevin D. Richardson, 21, was identified Thursday night as one of two suspects. The identification came fewer than 24 hours after a person who wished to remain anonymous put up a $10,000 reward for information resulting in an arrest and conviction.

Lt. Calvin Chew said police received many tips because of the reward, but the identification was the result of “good old-fashioned police work.”

Wesley Spires, 27, and Ashley Solesbee, 25, were assaulted with metal bats or pipes about 11 p.m. May 3 on the upper tier of Riverwalk behind the former Fort Discovery.

Spires drove the couple to the hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition. Solesbee was released Monday. The assault caused facial fractures and head wounds on both, in addition to a broken hand for Spires.

No information on Moses was released by authorities Friday.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Fugi­tive Task Force and the Newberry Police Department and Sheriff’s Department are credited with the arresting Moses, according to a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office statement.

Richardson’s whereabouts remain unknown.

He has previous arrests in Richmond County including on a theft by taking charge in 2009 and a charge of possession of marijuana in June. The 2012 charge resulted in 12 months’ probation, a fine and 40 hours of community service.

In a 2007 article in The Augusta Chronicle, a teen who appears to be Richardson sat on a discussion board that addressed Augusta’s violence problem.

The forum was a reaction to escalating gang-related issues plaguing Augusta.

The then-15-year-old stressed the importance of community centers and said a lack of money influences less fortunate children.

“If young people had more community centers, more gyms, then you would have less trouble and gangs wouldn’t be starting up,” he said.

A Chronicle photographer took an image of a man identified as Kevin Richardson last June playing in the riverwalk fountain, which is less than one block from the recent assault. He was shown holding a child, identified as 2-month-old Kevin Jr., in a story on summer temperatures.

Along with Moses, South Caro­lina authorities apprehended Dominque Hale and identified both of them as suspects in the May 2 assault and robbery of a Beech Island man as he left the Riverfront Pub, 531 Broad St. Police said the man suffered a concussion.

ACCOUNT FOR DONATIONS

Donations to help with Wesley Spires’ medical costs can be made to the Wesley Spires Fund at Georgia Bank and Trust or Southeastern Bank and Trust.

Lisa Solesbee said her daughter, Ashley, would not have a fund set up.

“If anyone wants to give money to Ashley, we want them to give it to Wesley instead,” she said.

REWARD OFFERED FOR INFORMATION

A $10,000 reward has been offered to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the men responsible for the assault.

The conditions of the reward are as follows:

• The money will be held by Phillip Scott Hibbard, PC.

• The reward recipient may not be an employee of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

• If an arrest is made within 60 days, the reward will stay in trust via the law firm until conviction, provided that conviction occurs within 24 months.

• If no conviction occurs within 24 months, the reward is null and void.

• If no arrest is made within 60 days, the reward is null and void.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at (706) 821-1080. Callers may remain anonymous.

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Ask Mrs. Vanover? Ask Mr Azziz? Evil intent causes crime. A covetous and greedy heart creates crime. As for his analysis that more public buildings will solve crime, he must have envisioned his future in government construction industry.

Still pulling for a complete recovery for Mr. Spires. A guy who, while in critical condition, would still feel the responsibility to drive his lady friend to the hospital, is a guy this world needs more of.

At least they caught one of these animals! I hope that both victims will recover from the incident & move past it! I too was assaulted at The RiverWalk in April 2011 while pregnant & almost lost my unborn child so i completely understand what they both had to endure! Unlike their case, my assailant is still some where out there.

Wasn't he also arrested for illegally carrying a weapon when he was arrested for shop-lifting? He was 18 at the time, if I remember correctly and isn't it listed as a felony offense? If that is true, it certainly puts a "slightly less innocuous" spin on things, doesn't it?

I enjoyed using the Riverwalk when I visited Augusta and hope to see more downtown revitalization over the next few years. I'm moving in June from a very low crime area of Virginia and would love for my fiance to feel safe downtown.

Yeh, well too bad it doesn't influence them enough to make them try learning something in school, getting a job, and quit beating people and stealing from them. Seems like when I was a kid none of the children had money until they were old enough to start working for it. Cutting grass, cleaning garages, etc. but I guess now having money is an "entitlement" for children too. Maybe if we started sending welfare checks to anyone 14 or over the crime rate would go away completely. I'm surprised the Democrats haven't tried to push for that under the "it's for the children" banner. We already bribe 25% of the population to stay home, sit on the porch, and not bother us while we are working to pay all of the bills, so we might ought to go ahead and start bribing their "children" too. At least the "poor children" wouldn't be bashing us in the head to steal our money then.......or would they?

Anybody taking odds and how short a sentence out catch and release judges will give him if they catch him? After all, he didn't actually kill anyone. My guess is that he won't do a year if that long. We will see his picture again, no doubt.

will so adeptly explain ( if charges are brought and the case goes to trial ), the defendent has low self-esteem and should be given ( if convicted ) a sentence of probation. People with low self-esteem should not have to suffer any more blows to their self worth. Return him to the streets to commit more atrocities so he will be more acceptable ( in his eyes ) to his peers.

1. What happened to "innocent until proven guilty?" Right now, all we have is a possible suspect. I want some more details before I'm willing to make such judgmental comments on this man. All we have right now is an "anonymous tip." I'm by no means defending his past, just pointing out that he hasn't even technically been formally accused of a crime yet...

2. I wish the victims a speedy recovery and that the correct assailant is brought to justice. Keyword: correct.

Don't you just love it when someone chimes in and says they haven't been proven guilty yet? Amazing, we give more benefit to the criminal than we do to the victim's testimony. If we really want to stop these kind of crimes then here is what you do: once they are convicted of a crime this bad then they should be taken either to the scene of the crime or their own neighborhood if it is a bad neighborhood and publicly flogged and beaten. If they are guilty of a murder then they should be given the death penalty and hung up for 3 days so that other would be criminals could get the message. Now I know this sounds heartless and cruel but until we send the message to the criminal that he will not be put in a nice jail with tv and 3 square meals a day then they will keep doing this stuff.

Of course you do know that it is accepted that comments such as these are assuming "IF he is guilty". Do you think anyone would have a different sentiment if the perp is someone else? Should one wait to express an opinion on a perp until they find out if they are rich or poor, black or white? Sheesh...

Newsflash: On the front page here, there is an article about a hospital (Sumter, SC) that has been CONVICTED of medicare fraud to the tune of 39 million dollars. Why isn't there a single rabid, mad-dog comment about that? Actually, it's been there all day with 0 comments. Is that too complicated for y'all???